Several methods of performing non destructive inspection (NDI) have been developed and currently are in use in a variety of manufacturing settings. Some of these NDI methods include, without limitation, ultrasound inspection, mechanical tap testing, acoustic impact Doppler, eddy current testing optical sensing, x-ray backscatter, photon induced positron annihilation, laser shearography, infrared thermography, neutron radiography, through-transmission infrared thermography, and the like. Many individual NDI methods may be better-suited to inspection of a particular material than other materials.
The above and other NDI methods make use of sensor positional information to produce two-dimensional and three-dimensional image data regarding possible internal damage or possible defects in various structural materials. Position of the sensors typically is tracked by positional encoders mounted on robotic arms or X-Y-Z bridges, thereby resulting in substantially manual NDI processes. As sizes of parts to be inspected increase, improvements may be made in terms of cost, speed of inspection, versatility, and interchangeability.
The foregoing examples of related art and limitations associated therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings.